FALSE: Suicide survivors face death penalty in North Korea

Sobaidah Gubat

Several Facebook posts claim that people in North Korea who attempt suicide but survive will be executed. Available evidence does not establish that a failed suicide attempt carries the death penalty.

CLAIM:

The post says that people in North Korea who attempt suicide and fail will face the death penalty.

RATING: FALSE

CONCLUSION:

The UN human rights experts list crimes for the death penalty under North Korea’s Criminal Law, including plotting to overthrow the state, terrorism, treason, sabotage, certain narcotics offenses, and deliberate brutal murder. Suicide or attempted suicide is not included.

FACTS:

• In June 2023, Radio Free Asia reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered local authorities to prevent suicides and had described suicide as an “act of treason against socialism.” The report was based on information from anonymous sources inside North Korea.
• The report said local government officials were ordered to take responsibility for preventing suicides in their jurisdictions. It did not report that people who survived suicide attempts would be executed.
• In its March 2026 communication, the UN Special Rapporteurs reported that North Korea had expanded the number of crimes carrying the death penalty from eight to sixteen. The offenses listed include state-related crimes, narcotics offenses and other serious crimes, but attempted suicide is not among those identified.

THE BOTTOMLINE:

The claim that people who survive suicide attempts in North Korea are executed is false. North Korean authorities have reportedly treated suicide as an “act of treason against socialism” and ordered measures to prevent it, but available evidence does not show that a failed suicide attempt itself carries the death penalty.